


Final Gift

by Layla_Crimson



Category: Fantastic Four, Spider-Man - All Media Types, The Avengers (Marvel) - All Media Types
Genre: Angst, Character Death, Depression, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Eventual Happy Ending, F/M, Gen, Grief/Mourning, Iron Spider - Freeform, M/M, More characters to be added, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Peter Parker is Tony Stark's son
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-01-17
Updated: 2018-02-15
Packaged: 2018-09-18 01:23:15
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 7
Words: 15,488
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9358829
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Layla_Crimson/pseuds/Layla_Crimson
Summary: Their world was ending and when Tony Stark couldn't save it, he used the last of his resources to save the only thing he could.  He sent his son(s) to another universe so that he could survive.   Nobody asked Peter if that is what he wanted.   Good news, the new universe is almost exactly like his old one.   Unfortunately his counterpart is rather famously dead, his counterpart's father is also Tony Stark and he's grieving.  With the help of his AI brother Jarvis and the Fantastic Four can he carve out a new life and keep an eye on Tony Stark while keeping his secrets?





	1. Ghost of Myself - February

**Author's Note:**

> This is my first venture writing a Spidey Fanfic. Hopefully you enjoy! I have a lot of fic ideas running around in my head but this one demanded to be written. Yes it starts out a bit dark, but I'm a sucker for Happy Endings.
> 
> Mentions of Character Death, Cemetery Visit, Snow Day in NYC.

Snow swirled around him as he trudged his way through the cemetery.  It fell thick and fast, degrading visibility and driving almost everything to shut down.  Most stayed in the comfort of their homes, which is why he chose this day to make this particular trip.   This particular grave, memorial, however you wanted to call it, rarely went without some visitor paying homage.   Which made it difficult for someone that needed to remain unnoticed to pay their respects.

He couldn’t even really say why he felt compelled to come here.  It could have been the guilt for surviving a place where everyone else died.   Grief for losing literally his own world, or even a sense of responsibility to take up the responsibility this individual once carried.   Legitimate or misplaced, he still felt it, and the compulsion to come here.   Maybe he came to talk to the only person that might have understood it completely.

Wading through the snow, he finally reached his destination.   Bending down he brushed away the drifts that covered the inscription.  Gently he traced his fingers over the words carved there.   _ Peter Benjamin Parker Stark, beloved son, friend, and hero that this city needed.   He gave his life so that others may live on. _  The statue featured the famous vigilante crouched down in his costume.  Barefaced, mask clutched in one hand, this defender looked ready to take on anything.   Weird, to look at your own face gracing a memorial statue. 

“Hey, I know this has got to be as strange for you as it is for me.  Or it would have been.”   The swirling frozen flakes of water muffled the words.  It kept them isolated and insulated from the rest of the world as the young man talked. 

“I’m not you, well I’m an alternative you from a whole different place.   My world, well let's just say things went epically wrong.  If I try and explain it all I’ll be out here for hours, freeze my ass off and Sue will yell at me.   So I’m going to stick to the short version if that’s okay with you.  Which it’s kinda going to have to be since you are just, you know, a statue and can’t really talk and all that.”  A brief tired glimmer of a smile showed on his face.  

“Anyways, things went epically wrong, and if your Dad is anything like mine was, you can probably understand that he tried to fix it.   But he, um, couldn’t.   So the big idiot decided the best thing to do was save me.”  His breath caught, and he inhaled slowly breathing out again before he continued.  “Us really, since J could be downloaded to the Iron Spider suit.  Just enough energy to send me in it, through a doorway into a different universe, your universe as it turns out.”

He licked his lips, working on organizing his thoughts.  “I ended up breaking through at a weak point in between worlds.   Basically it was a spot where the walls between universes have been breached or attempted to be breached before.  So remember how I said Sue would yell at me?   Yeah well with that kind of description and using that name you can guess where it spit me out, right in the middle of Dr. Reed Richard’s lab in the Baxter Building.  I’m not sure if that would have made Dad laugh, rage or cry.   Thank god for Sue, because it was a mess of me freaking out, Dr. Richards being all excited and confused, Ben charging in to see what all the hollering was, and Johnny of course sticking his nose in.   Anyways Sue got it all sorted out, and I ended up staying with them while I figure things out.  Though I suppose you could say, more like hiding out.  Can’t exactly go out in public when I look like you.  Your actual face is more than a little famous now.”

Now came some of the really hard part.  “You might be wondering why I didn’t go to your Dad or the Avengers.   They’re not my family, my team, this isn’t my city.   I can’t take your place, not that I really want to.”   The bitter wind stung his eyes, and that must be what caused them to water up.  “Okay that’s a lie, I want to because I miss what I lost, and I want just one more day.  I want just one more chance to tell them, to tell my Dad that I love him so much, and I’m never going to get that.  I can’t be you, and they can’t be the people I lost.  It’s not fair to you, or to them, no matter how badly a part of me just wants to slip into that life I can’t do that.”  His voice cracked, the weight of emotion breaking it.

“All I can really do is try to carve out a new life here.  What I can promise you is that I’ll do my best to protect this city and the people you loved.”  Hot and cold, some how freezing and burning up all at once as he stood there, spilling out his grief into the silent snowy day.  “Maybe, maybe that’s why I ended up here.  This is a universe that’s missing their Peter, their Spider-Man.   I can’t be you, but I can be me, by whatever names I end up using.”

Wiping his eyes a small laugh escaped him.   “You know it occurs to me I’m an alien here.  Eventually that fact is going to catch up to me.   Another reason it would be wrong for me to be you.  It would be a big fat lie and disrespectful to you and your memory.”

“If someday your Dad learns the truth about me, I’m not sure if he’d be angry, or want me around.   Could be both, and it could be neither.   I really don’t know what part would hurt more.”  He shrugged his shoulders.  “I want to check on him, but I really can’t go visiting.   So J and I are doing our best to keep track of things from a distance.  I will say if he appears to be in trouble I won’t hesitate to help.  It’s hard to stay away.”

He lifted his hands, only to let them drop to his sides again.  “Anyways, that’s what I wanted to say.”  

Feeling both drained and a bit lighter, he pulled off a glove.  Sticking his bare hand in his pocket he pulled out two stones.  One clear colorless quartz, and the other the shaded mix of greens and browns of a moss agate.  Moving forward he carefully tucked them into a protected spot at the base of the statue.   “That’s from me and J.  You aren’t and never will be forgotten.”

Looking up at the statue, a fragile smile settled into place.   “Thanks Peter.   I’ll come back and update you sometime.”   Turning, he started trudging away, back to the place he currently called home.


	2. Now What - February

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Peter's trying to wrap his mind around his new life, and Sue is the mom friend we all need.

Most people might think that escaping a dying world into a new one would make you happy.    It is a good thing, until you realize that everyone that you cared about is now dead.   At least when you fought by their sides, you held some hope that you could win.   That one day you’d rebuild your life with those people.   It might not be the same, but it would be with them.  To accept that possibility ceased to exist . .  yeah not a cheerful moment for anyone.

Peter barely remembered anything from that first week, or month really.   Instead he existed in a gray fog of grief and guilt.  A survivor's guilt that filled him to a depth that anyone else would likely be unable to comprehend.  After all he and his electronic brother probably were the only survivors of their whole world.   Vaguely he held an awareness of Jarvis speaking to the people that took them in, the AI rejecting ideas and making suggestions about what might help.  

Difficult to say what exactly broke him out of the mental numbness.   It could be the recognition that yes for some strange reason the Fantastic Four really did seem vested in his wellbeing.   On the other hand, it could be he didn’t want to waste this second chance that his father so desperately hoped for him.   Regardless of the reason, on his walk home from the cemetery clarity of thought emerged.

The grief that still sat inside him existed as a heavy weight that wouldn’t just go away overnight.  Peter wasn’t foolish enough to think he could just get rid of it.   A part of him honestly didn’t want to.   He survived and they didn’t.   Carrying it around seemed like a small price to pay.   He probably needed all the therapy, but Starks weren’t much for sitting around and talking about things like feelings.   No, they tended to delve into work.  Breaking through the mental fog, ideas started to brim inside his normally busy mind.

That is what he could do; make things to help the people that gave him sanctuary.  Help this world be a bit better.   Fulfill a promise, and perhaps even accomplish things that his alternative self didn’t have the time to do.  Peter could even keep track of things so what happened to his home wouldn’t happen here.   The ideas continued to pop up as he finished the trek back to the Baxter building.   Once inside he stomped his feet to help remove some of the excess snow before heading towards the elevator.  Time to peel off his borrowed outwear, get some coffee to warm up, and start figuring out what he needed.    

Only he didn’t exactly expect the attention he drew when he walked out of the elevator door.   Starting to shed the coat he looked up to see Sue advancing towards him, concern lining her face.  “Were you outside?  What were you thinking it's a mess out there.   

In a small flurry of movement and mother-henning, Sue somehow managed to have him settled at the kitchen table.   A mug of hot coco almost magically appeared in his hands.  The snow encrusted gear all dealt with.  “You remind me of my Aunt Pepper.   She was, scary efficient and caring all at the same time.”  

“Oh?”  The blonde woman paused, and then settled down near him, mug in her hands as well.   He could guess what caused the sudden spike in interest from her.   Jarvis did most of the talking up until now.   Peter remained monosyllabic as he dealt with grief and shock.   He drifted from room to room when he moved at all.   His brother shadowed him in the suit when Jarvis was not off talking to the others that lived there.

“Um, yeah.” 

Peter licked his lips, taking a sip of his beverage.  “This is good coco.”  He stalled a little, his skin feeling a bit tight.   “Thanks for it, and taking us in by the way.  I’m sorry if I haven’t said it yet.”

Sue shook her head a small smile on her lips.   “Peter, it's understandable and Jarvis has thanked us already.    Reed’s been delighted to talk to him about how you two traveled here.  Honestly I don’t think he’d want you to leave, at least not until he’s taken all the readings possible.”   

A faint shadow of a smile lightened his features at the response.   “Well, at least something good has come from all this.   If only to help further science, my Dad would’ve been thrilled.”

“I’d imagine he’d be happy that you are alive too,” Sue returned gently.

That, made Peter flinch as he sarcastically bit out, “Yeah, I’m alive, Jarvis is alive and everyone else is probably dead by now.  Great trade off.“  Rubbing a hand over his face Peter felt the sharp sting of regret for his tone.   “Sorry, I just . . “

His voice trailed off and Sue gently filled in the silence.  “When my parents died, I felt angry at them for leaving me, and guilty for feeling that.  Also guilty for still being here when they weren’t.   I know it’s not the same as what happened to you.  It’s not even close.   Still, I can imagine that you must be feeling all sorts of things.”

Peter’s eyes flashed.   “Is that what this is about?  Pity?”

“No,” Sue responded in a firm tone.  “It’s about helping someone that needs it, and it’s about what I told you, the science that Reed is thrilled with.   It’s about what I would want someone to do for my family if it ever happened to us.”

Her statement punctured the brief burst of anger that filled him.   The problem with that is it left him with his grief and guilt that he didn’t know what to do with.   “You know this is probably going to sound really weird, but I hate you a little bit for being so reasonable at the same time I appreciate it.”

“Between Johnny, Ben and Reed, I’m used to weird things around here.  What’s adding one or two more?”  Sue smiled at him over her cup of coco.   That wrenched a small rusty laugh out of Peter.

“Yeah, I can get that.”   Looking down at his own cup he swallowed another sip of the rich beverage.  “It was like that at home.  A lot of crazy things going on, but we made it work, and it was home.”  His breath caught and at the memories that flooded in.  Peter’s shoulders hunched and he blinked hard.  

“I can’t go home anymore, it’s not there.  It hurts that can’t, it sucks that I’m trapped in a world that is like mine, but it’s not.”  The words built up and rushed out of him.  Somehow it being easier to talk to Sue than Jarvis, maybe because of the fact his brother lived through it with him.  It could be easier to talk to an outsider.  “It feels like someone took a giant eraser and just got rid of whole parts of my life and my world and rewrote it how they saw fit before dumping me inside.    _ I don’t want it. _   Especially since it’s like they rewrote some of my life and then wrote me out of it completely, but I’m here.”  Pushing the mug away, Peter folded his arms and lay them down on the table, burying his face there. 

Other than his first hysterical entrance to this place, he’d yet to really cry about it.  Instead he just dwelt in a numb fog.  Now it cracked and he couldn’t hold back the force of emotions behind it.   Peter felt the light touch on his arm as the sleeves of his shirt dampened.  When he didn’t pull away, he felt her hand go across his shoulders, an offer of comfort.   Sue didn’t try to make it into more of an embrace, or even say anything really.   Which made her all kinds of awesome in his book, because he really wasn’t ready to deal with it.  He could only allow the bit of comfort she offered. 

Sue gave him time, before her voice softly offered a question.  “Would it help, to have some of them come here for you to talk to?” 

_ “No.” _  Peter picked up his head a little, shaking it rapidly back and forth.   “It’s not . . they aren’t . .”  He sucked in a breath and sat up more scrubbing his hands over his face to try and dry it.   “I need to figure out myself first.”   What he couldn’t say, if this universe’s versions of people he cared about rejected him right now, he couldn’t handle it.  “I need to . . “

Straightening up even more Peter steadied his breathing and tried to summon up his normal cheerful self.   Right now he felt so done with emotions. “So, I don’t suppose you are willing to allow me to play in one of your labs?”  He offered a crooked smile on a face with red-rimmed eyes.   “It would help, if I could, um, do something.  Also I’m pretty handy at fixing things.  I mean I know Dr. Richards probably can do all that for himself.  It’s just that I can make stuff to give back, and um, maybe earn something to set my own life up?”

Much to his surprise Sue’s smiled at him as she got up from her chair.   “You mean you a genius in your own right, and you like building things.   The odds are if we don’t make a space I might find some of my appliances have been taken apart,” she gently teased.  

Peter flushed, and his mouth dropped open.  “How did you .. I mean it’s not like I would . . it was only that one time and I was bored!”

“Jarvis warned us, so we thought it would be better just to gets some things set up for you.   If there is something you need and you can’t make for yourself just ask.”  She continued to smile at him as he slowly got up from his chair.  And Johnny and Ben break things all the time, plus I’m sure Reed will need the occasional hand building things.   Better to have you equipped to help with that then something get blown up, again.  It’s just been waiting for you to be ready for it.”

Studying her face, Peter only found cheerful fond exasperation and a bit of good humor.   Nothing of pity, or that she made any of it up.   Briefly he wondered what exactly his brother told them to garner such a response to his question.   “Um, thanks, by the way, for treating Jarvis like a person.”

Sue gave him a slightly surprised look as he started following her.  “Why wouldn’t I?  Well I can get why some wouldn’t, but after meeting a few aliens and some inter-dimensional travel, your ideas of what consists of a person gets a bit wider.  So a sentient mechanized suit of armor, really not too hard to understand.”

“Technically, he’s not a suit of armor; he just is riding inside it.”  A small crease appeared between Peter’s eyebrows as a thought occurred to him.  “Speaking of which I need to make a dedicated server to back up his program, unless he’s done that already?”

Sue shook her head.  “He said he wanted to leave that up to the expert.   I assume he means you.”

“Well, I know a thing or two, but he can do plenty on his own,” Peter responded.

By then they traveled down a hallway and reached a door.   It slid open for the two to step inside.   A large airy lab space, filled with different equipment covered the sprawling space.   The toyland for scientists seemed to gleam in the light of the room.  On the far end the distinctive red and gold of the Iron Spider suit appeared to be in a discussion with the equally distinctive Dr. Reed Richards.   The pair turned towards them, a faint flicker of surprise and then welcome appeared on the one face that could actually have expressions.

Peter looked around, large smile morphing into place as he took in the lab.  “Oh yeah, I definitely can get some work done here.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Many Thanks for the comments and kudos! They feed both muse and mun. 
> 
> Johnny and Ben shenanigans forthcoming. Also more on the differences between the two and the perspective from the other side. I've had some inspiration and ideas, I blame my evil brain for whatever comes down the road.


	3. Starting Rumors - Early March

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Hiding his identity while remaining true himself, difficult. Staying indoors constantly and not using what he could out in the world, impossible. Fighting a bout of insomnia he ventures out on patrol, only to run into someone he'd rather not.

Peter flipped, flying through the night air and pushing off the wall he landed on.   The twisting swinging acrobatic travel from building to building something he sorely missed.   Until now he mostly stayed indoors doing both work and research.   The unfortunate side effect of being fully awake and aware, his mind could be so active that until he became exhausted, it would be difficult to sleep.   Or it would be difficult to sleep peacefully.  He needed a distraction, and needed to get a feel for this city.  

Knowing it would come to this eventually; he made up a new suit and other equipment to help conceal his identity.   His holo-emitter remained unfinished; the first one went to Ben.  Peter wanted to give the guy the opportunity to go incognito if he so choose.   Unnoticed not an option since the device only changed how someone looked, not their size.   What he did have finished, the voice modulator that sat on his throat over his voice box.   That disguise worked quite well, and to the average person sounded perfectly natural.  The mesh weave suit complete with mask and built in comm would keep his face from being recognized.  Granted he could have used the armored suit, but that would have restricted his movements.   He wanted to feel free again.

This city very much like the one he came from before the fighting began.   The sounds of humanity moving, normal traffic patterns, it felt both strange and soothing to him.   Peter always loved this city, and to see it like this, peaceful and not a battleground, made him want to protect it even more.   Being able to move around in this city without the constant low grade warning going off from his spidey-senses made it an added bonus.   Here the danger came from individual trouble spots, not a continuous threat.  

So far the test of not being taken for his alternate counterpart gave mixed results.   Peter’s fighting style and movements seemed to be very similar.   A couple of muggings he interrupted freaked out thinking him some sort of ghost.   Even though his suit redesign almost entirely black, except for the fingers, head and shoulders with the red ending in a V on his chest.  The black spider emblem lay over his chest; he didn’t want to give that up entirely.   Black lenses would help mute the bright sunlight during the day, and really didn’t interfere with his night vision at all.   He made minimal use of his webbing, using it only as an extra transportation mode at the moment.  This he hoped would mitigate anyone making the connection that way.

Perching on a rooftop corner, he listened for signs of trouble that he needed to intervene in.   If the cops already involved, he kept clear.   No need to rush in there unless the cops needed an assist let them do their jobs.   Peter looked for the places they either couldn’t be, or couldn’t handle on their own.   Mostly for the first category, as he really didn’t plan on introducing himself in any fashion to the local authorities tonight.  

Suddenly his head whipped to the right; there, a couple in trouble.   Launching from his perch, he moved across the rooftops to get a better look.  Four figures closing in on a couple that backed away from them.   The antagonists of this little story armed, but not with guns.   Instead a pair held knives, one some sort of length of pipe, and the fourth had a chain wrapped around his knuckles.   A chain?  Really?   Well he supposed it would make for a formidable punch.  The bottom line is the absence of firearms made the situation less dangerous for everyone when he intervened.  

With a neat flip off the building, he angled his jump so he would land in-between the two parties.   “Not that I am the fashion police, but I think your accessories are a bit out of style” he cheerfully quipped.  The entire group stopped dead, shifting their attention to him.  

“What in the hell –“

“I thought he was dead?”

“He is dead stupid.  Look at the costume, it’s not the same.”

Three of the four talked over each other while the one with the pipe stared at him.   Behind him the couple started to back further away.   Finally the pipe-wielder spoke up.   “Listen, I don’t know who you think you are, but you need to get out of here or we’re going to mess you up.” 

“Aw fellas, I’m new to the area, can’t we just all get along?”  Plan A seemed to be working, keep their attention focused on him.  

“You on drugs or something?” The apparent leader of the group replied in an indignant tone.  “’Cause that kind of hippy love everyone shit don’t work around here.   Those two owe us a toll, and now that I’m thinking about it, so do you.”  With the last words, the pipe was jabbed in his direction.  

Tilting his head to the side, Peter scratched it.  “Now that’s a bit confusing, I didn’t see any toll booths around here.   So I think you might want to check your job description.   So, why don’t you-”

Suddenly one of them charged him.   With a smooth move he reached out and grabbed them by the wrist.  “Well now you are just being rude.”

That seemed to be the signal for chaos because the rest of the group tried to rush him.   Bending the first one’s wrist back, he forced him to drop the blade before pushing him in the direction of the chain guy.  Both went down, tangled together.   Swaying to the side, he easily dodged the pipe before reaching out to grab it.  “You know that lead is really bad for your health right?”

Ducking the swipe by the other knife wielder, the vigilante yanked the pipe out of the pseudo leader’s grasp.   With a carefully measured kick, he launched the former pipe-wielder towards the two just starting to get up, knocking them all to the ground again.  Tossing the pipe high in the air, it landed on a nearby fire escape as he spun around to face the assailant still standing.   The tough launched another attack on him.   Dropping down he swept out his leg, tripping the other and causing them to fall hard against a brick wall.

The back of his neck prickled, someone watching him.   He made a note of it on the corner of his awareness most of his attention being taken up by the fight.   Not the first time someone hung around and watched, probably not the last.   Always a good idea to retain awareness in case the regard managed to be less than friendly.

Looking back at the trio, he tilted his head as they worked to get to their feet.  “About now would be the time to realize you aren’t going to win this fight.”   Peter turned and looked for the couple the group had menaced; only to see they already fled the scene.   Well, no point in turning these guys into the police then.  No proof of crime and they would just lay the blame on the vigilante. Twisting around in time he carefully caught the fist of the chain wielder and lightly twisted them both around to toss that one at the wall as well.  

Peter ran a critical eye over the groaning group as the started to scramble away from him.   Their clothes looked inexpensive and looking a bit worn, which would not exactly be an indicator of criminal master-minds.   He let the four retreat, hoping their bruises would teach them a less.  “Find a better way,” he called after them.

With a sigh he moseyed over to grab up the dropped knife.   He’d find a safe spot to dispose of it, or recycle it.   Best not to leave an obvious weapon like that laying on the ground.   His awareness of the watcher still prickled and he turned in its direction.  “You can come out now.  I don’t think they will be back.”

He simply waited out the silence that followed his announcement.   The person would come out or not, up to them.   As long as he didn’t feel a threat Peter didn’t feel inclined to go after them.   Instead he flipped the knife in his hand.  Its poor quality reinforcing the thought in the head of the lack of prosperity among the four he chased off.   Finally some noise on one of the fire escapes cued him to look up, and he froze.

Oh shit.  His watcher none other than the infamous red suited Daredevil.  

Frozen in place Peter watched the notorious vigilante scoop up the abandoned pipe from the earlier fight and slowly make his way down the fire escape.   Somehow that methodical movement a good bit more menacing than if he parkoured his way down.   Forcing his muscles to relax he called out in a cheerful tone to the other.  “Hey it’s the big double D.   I didn’t realize I was getting so close to your turf.  Sorry about that.  I’ll just scoot along now shall I?”

Ignoring his sally, a low harsh voice rumbled out, “You let them go.”

Right, not what he wanted to get into tonight, a territory scuffle with Daredevil.   One of the people high on the list of potentially identifying him in some fashion, on the bright side if Peter’s disguise held, much less likely someone else could see through it.   The guy just  _ knew _ things.

“What them?  Well they didn’t look like hard core bad guys and the people they were after ran off so not like I could turn them over to the police.  Plus the only ones they were the only ones that got hurt,” he explained in a breezy tone.   “Not my style to just beat up people, just to stop them from hurting others.”

The red clad figure jumped off the lowest part of the fire escape and continued to head steadily towards him.   Peter stood his ground, fairly proud of the fact he didn’t flinch when the pipe was offered to him.   Taking it he shoved the sharp end of the knife inside the pipe, some of the metal protesting as he jammed it in.  There, that made it safer to dispose of; probably he’ll just drop it in the dumpster.   “They’ll probably attack someone else,” Daredevil replied evenly.

“They might not,” he returned.   “They lost a couple of weapons, a good bit of pride and all they gained from it is some bruises and knowledge that there are people out there that will try to stop them.  Everyone deserves a chance to change.  Who knows, it might be their wake-up call.”  He gestured with his free hand as he talked, some of his nerves going into the action.

Tension crept through Peter as the other let the long silences draw out.   It didn’t make much sense, this methodical movement and very little communication.   Then it dawned on him.   Daredevil was  _ listening _ .  Which could mean he heard something, or thought he did; either way not exactly good news.  So it would be best to get out of there.   “Well lovely meeting you and I know the drill stay out of Hell’s kitchen and I promise I will, cross my heart and everything.”  Peter quickly drew the X over his heart with the index finger of his free hand.  

Stepping back, he spotted a dumpster to the side and tossed the pipe knife combo into it.  There, that would have to do.  Turning around he scrambled up the wall quickly.  

 

 

Matt stood as the figure fled from him.   Yes, that is the word he would use.  He knew how to pick up on a hasty retreat.  Something about him caused the stranger he tracked to become alarmed.  What he heard drew him outside of Hell’s Kitchen in order to solve the mystery.  

On a patrol of his own, he caught the sound of a distinctive heartbeat.  Now not everyone had one.  Most sounded virtually identical to the next.  With a few of the Enhanced, especially the artificially enhanced, their heartbeats sounded extremely strong.  Steve Rogers’ in particular he could liken to a Sousa march.  One of the fairly distinctive heartbeats belonged to a friend, and one he knew he would not hear again.  So imagine his surprise when he picked up on a heartbeat so incredibly familiar.  Immediately he moved to locate this mystery.

In all likelihood some strange Enhanced moved through the city.  Could be good, could be bad, he wouldn’t know until he observed them.  Best to see what they intended.  He got close in time to clearly perceive the fight.  The voice he did not recognize and it held a faint mechanical undertone.  The movements, utterly fluid and smooth, where small creaks and tears would be the normal part of anyone’s movements.  Heartbeat of the stranger staying utterly steady despite the exertion, while that would be true of many athletes, combined with its distinctive sound and other information remained puzzling. 

He didn’t expect the stranger to call him out.  Matt decided to step out of the shadows, if only to gather more information.  While intimidation a standard tactic for him, the accelerating heart-rate of the other stayed his hand.  Somehow Daredevil’s identity caused the reaction when a fight did not.  So he  _ listened _ .

Now, as the stranger retreated he still  _ listened _ .  Waiting for what he couldn’t say.  Not until he heard it, just on the edge of his hearing.  A faint thwipping sound he never expected to hear again.  The facts all filed together in his mind.  Finally he moved, heading back into Hell’s Kitchen.  He needed to seek out more information.  Matt also might need help, but he would have to be very careful of who he asked.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks again for the kudos and the comment, all these things are greatly appreciated.
> 
> Hopefully Matt didn't come across to ooc. Mostly I imagined him a bit shocked, and figuring out how all the pieces fit together again.
> 
> More points of view will pop in as the story continues. Pretty much Peter is dictating the story. But the rumors are going to start to spread.


	4. Well Hello - Late March

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Peter gives an assist the the FF, a familiar face seeks out the costumed vigilante. Is he ready for this?

“Well,” Peter laughed, “good to know some things stay the same.”   Deftly he spun out webs, catching the remains of a Doombot before it could crash into a building.   He and his brother focused on crowd control and controlling potential property damage.   While he didn’t quite feel up to a major battle at the moment, the hero could and did want to help.   The best way to do that is to make sure the public stayed safe.  So he took one side of the battle and Jarvis piloting the suit took the other.   The addition made it easier for the FF to focus on the fight itself, without worrying about innocent people getting hurt.

“What, doombots?” Johnny mildly asked over the communicators.   Trust Reed to find a way to figure out something they all could use, including the man who ran or flew around covered in flames.

“I was more talking about his weird way of trying to impress Sue by trying to kill Reed and attacking you guys, but sure, doombots.   Granted the last time I saw these guys at home they were actually helping,” Peter responded in a still cheerful tone.  He shifted more of the debris into a mostly out of the way pile.   

“Webs, you wanna tell me in your universe these flyin’ tin cans was actually helpin’?”  Ben’s rough voice fused with disbelief as he fought off one of the mentioned nuisances. 

“It was a global threat Mr. Grimm,” Jarvis responded dryly.  “Most of those deemed villains did not actually want the world to be destroyed as it turns out.”

“Well that makes sense.  I’m just surprise these things were any help against somthin’ like that,” Ben replied.  He easily swatted a doombot in Jarvis’ direction, the two making some sort of odd game out of it.

Johnny started to cackle, blasting another bot as Peter continued.   “If I’m right, these guys are on easy mode since this is Doom’s weird way of flirting.   He actually doesn’t want to risk Sue getting hurt, or to cause enough damage to piss people off enough to go after Latvaria.”   Jarvis caught the remains of this one, safely getting it out of the way.

A frustrated sound escaped Sue following a loud metallic crunch as her force field contracted down around a Doombot.   “Honestly, you would think Victor would stop after I married Reed.”

“If Peter’s right we really should try to keep one of these intact in order to examine it.   See how it could be upgraded in case we ever face a tougher one,” Reed pointed out.  He stretched patting one towards Peter who easily caught it to deposit in the pile of pieces.

“Or we could just smash them all as an insult to Sue,” Johnny replied with only slightly suppressed laughter.

“Hey I’m all for clobbering these things,” Ben chimed in cheerfully.  “Let the eggheads pull somethin’ apart when it’s actually worth fighting.  These things ain’t worth it, and Suz deserves better.”

“Johnny, Ben, as much as I appreciate your support, let’s keep one intact.” Sue’s patient but annoyed tone indicated that she might not exactly appreciate their antics.  

On the street, the mechanized suit’s head tipped back.  “Scans indicate of the two that are still active, one is damaged, one remains intact,” Jarvis informed them.

“Johnny, Ben, you can deal with the damaged one since you seem so intent on destruction.   Sue, help me with the other one if you please.  Jarvis we may need your assistance safely shutting it down.” 

At Reed’s orders, Peter shifted sideways to keep an eye on Johnny and Ben’s path of destruction.   Those two while they did try to be careful, sometimes got a bit enthusiastic in their work.   His caution paid out when a piece of their target broke off and started to tumble towards the ground.  Ready for it, he took an easy leap up, catching the thing and flipping around in the air.   As he landed he tossed it towards the pile when a familiar voice caused him to freeze.

“Nice catch, need any help?”

Slowly he rotated around to look at the speaker.   The face and uniform style did indeed match the voice.  Peter took a step back, immensely grateful for his mask and the voice modulator.   On one level he expected this, it would happen sooner or later.   No matter how much time it took, or on what terms, it’s difficult to prepare for the mixed emotions that would come into play.  “No thanks Cap,” he forced a cheerful tone as he kept his distance.   “Juuuuust about finished up here.  Besides I didn’t know the Avengers helped the Fantastic Four.”

Pleasant smile in place, Captain America deliberately looked behind the red and black clad vigilante and above before returning his gaze.   “I didn’t know the Fantastic Four had more than four people in it.”   This was definitely the public persona and not Steve Rogers, the person.   The uniformed figure’s body language practically screamed that to Peter, an unsettling feeling considering how things turned out in his universe.  He didn’t need Jarvis’ quiet voice in his ear to know to step lightly.

So of course he planted his hands on his hips, snark fully intact.  “What they can’t have friends?  I mean seriously, almost everyone has friends.”

The friendly smile directed at him faltered, as something hardened in the Captain’s gaze.   “Of course they can have friends.  I just haven’t seen you around here before.  Got a name pal?”

Tilting his head to the side, Peter heard the concerned comments from Sue, Ben, and Johnny in his ear as he regarded the other man.  Jarvis and Reed likely observed the situation while quickly wrapping up the last doombot, just in case they would be needed in the confrontation.  The volume quite low due to his own enhancements, the likelihood of being overheard by someone else also enhanced, extremely low.   So he didn’t worry about that.

What did cause him alarm would be the peripheral movement around him.   Peter didn’t know if this was just bad luck on his part, or something else, but they were not interested in the fight.   The focus instead lay heavy on him, and on the red and gold mechanized suit his brother piloted.  A flash of red hair in the distance, close to the suit put him on edge.  He could feel it, that crawling across his senses that made it difficult to keep his body language relaxed.  An intense warning thrummed in his head, one honed by a war from which only two survived.  “Let’s go with Red for now, seems to fit don’t you think?”

“Why Red?  Your suit is more black than red.”  

The question coming from a feminine voice caused an instant and probably unexpected response.   In a blue of motion he flipped backwards, away and up until he perched high up on the side of a building.  His body radiated tension as he crouched, ready to move as he clung to the wall.    _“Stay away from me!”_ Peter hissed his focus entirely on the woman who issued the question.  

Movement erupted around him.   Ben tossed their broken doombot into the pile as Johnny zipped to his side.   Captain America put his arm out, palm back, covering the woman that moved towards him.   He shook his head slightly at the others that started to move closer.  Peter really didn’t look too hard at them; he focused on the pair in his direct line of sight and the soothing words of his brother in his ear.  

Jarvis knew why he reacted this way, and the soothing tone in Peter’s ear help keep him grounded in the moment as did the warmth his friend radiated at his side.  So many memories, feelings swamped him a tidal wave that could sweep him away.  It made him afraid, not of those he faced, but of himself.  The suit already left Sue and Reed to move the now secured doombot on their own and it raced to his side.   As it got close Peter leapt into the air, and the suit split open so it could close around him.   Now, now he felt safer in this armor built by his father and brothers.   Each of them in their own way contributed to protecting him.

While Jarvis piloted the scarlet and gold colored suit, it tended to look like a normal (normal being a relative term,) mechanized form.  When Peter wore it, four long slender jointed legs automatically sprung from the back.  While he could tuck them away again, most of the time Peter kept them out.  As he landed in a classic crouch, two of the golden limbs braced against the ground.  The other set arched above his head, not unlike a spider posturing as a warning.  Come too close, and I will strike. 

The proof of his family’s love wrapped around him dulled the roar in his ears.  Now he could acknowledge sound beyond his brother’s voice and the echoes of his memories.  The noise of the crowd increased at his reaction, and another wave of murmurs started when the suit closed around him.  For some they now had a closer look at the flashy red and gold design.   For most, a better idea of what it might be capable of. 

“I’m okay guys.”  External speakers off, Peter could keep watch while reassuring his friends.   “Just a bit startled.”

“Your reaction would indicate a rather strong response, a bit more than startled I would say,” Reed carefully commented through the comm.

“Seriously, I’m good.  You guys go ahead and take the captured bot back to the lab.  Johnny’s got my back.   Ben, stay back a bit unless more Avengers close in.   Don’t need to look like we are starting a fight with them,” Peter pleaded.

“Plus I’m awesome, all the back up he needs,” Johnny bragged.

“Awwww, but I wanted to meet Captain America.  I would totally clobber him for you if you needed.”  Ben grumbled.

“If you need us, we’ll be there right away,” Sue added to the conversation.

His friends would be there for him, not even knowing fully why he responded the way he did.   As he straightened out of his crouch, the golden legs jutting from the back of the suit relaxed.  Johnny’s comment being the only really audible one to the crowd, it shifted the tension at least somewhat.

Safely inside the suit, he could allow his body language to tense again at the flashing of pictures being taken, and the sounds and sensations of the cameras on him.   While he knew public attention would be inevitable, this much this fast, not entirely what he wanted.   Peter just came out to help, not get his and the suit’s presence splashed in the media.   With the facts that he assisted the FF, and Avengers showed up, it pretty much guaranteed people would take notice.  

“We don’t want to hurt anyone, I just have a few questions for you,” Captain America calmly stated.  “Well, a few more now,” he admitted.

Biting back a sigh Peter first looked up at Johnny.   Putting his hand to the side of his helmet, he pressed the button that would switch to an external broadcasting of his voice.   “It’s fine Matchstick, I was just caught off guard.”

“Of course it’s fine, I’m here,” Johnny preened.

Giving in to the urge, Peter placed his gauntleted hand over his face, slightly shaking his head as if in disbelief.  Inwardly he felt extremely thankful of the way his friend helped relax the tight atmosphere.  “I’d say you need to stop reading your own press, but some things seem to just be natural for you.”

“Oh I know I’m naturally charming, but thanks.”

Dropping his hand, Peter shifted his attention back to the pair he originally faced.  Yes, there scattered in the crowd, if more concentrated on his position than before, were more Avengers.   Cap’s arm he held out as a barrier to the woman at his side lowered a few degrees.  The super solider looked decidedly nonplussed at the interaction.  “Look, Cap, questions are good and all that, but I didn’t come out here to hold a press conference, just to help some friends.   So another time might be best.”

“Fair enough,” Captain Rogers answered lightly.   “It’s just that you’re not exactly an easy person to track down.  So how do I get a hold of you?”   The woman at his side started to protest and he shook his head at her.   She subsided with a small scowl.  While Peter kept his focus on the super solider, he could feel her regard.

“Oh don’t worry about calling me, I’ll call you.   I’m sure I can find your number.  I’m pretty good with computers and my brother is even better,” he replied airily.  Besides him, still flamed on, Johnny snickered at the response. 

Shifting his gaze between the two, Cap dropped his arm.  “Alright,” he answered slowly.  “I’ll be expecting your call soon then.   I’d hate to have to try and track you down again.”  

Tilting his head at the not-quite-a-threat, Peter nodded, “Soon enough.”  Pretty clear that the FF would likely be called if he didn’t respond in what the Avengers considered a timely manner. 

“Peter,” Jarvis’ insistent voice sounded quietly for his ears only.   Straightening up, he put his hand to the side of the helmet, shutting down the external comm.

“Yeah J?”

“I’ve been monitoring the Tower since the suit was out in public.   You might want to vacate the area unless you also intend on chatting with Iron Man today.”

That’s when it hit him, the other wave of uneasiness he felt.   The scattered Avengers did not include one genius billionaire in their number, both a blessing and a cause of concern. This could be for many different reasons, but one of which shot an icy feeling down his spine.  “Right, lets avoid that for today shall we?”

Pressing the switch again he started to back away as he clapped his hands together.  “Well this has been fun, but things to do, you know how it is.”  He continued to move until the golden legs coming out of the back could reach the wall and started to haul him up it.   Ignoring any further protests, he turned away.  Once to the top of the building the legs pushed off, easily clearing the distance to the next tall structure.   Peter planned on dropping out of sight soon.  No reason to make a further media event out of going straight for the Baxter building.

“You go ahead Johnny, I’ll meet you there.”

“No way bug-brain, I’m supposed to watch over you, so that’s what I’m going to do.”  The fire covered figure continued to pace him as they made their way.

“Just go, I promise I’ll call if I need help.  I just want to throw them off from finding me directly a bit longer, please.”   Guilt, grief, and fear braided together in a cord that threatened to tighten across his chest.  

Johnny’s silence lasted only for a few moments.  “Fine,” he ground out.  “But if Sue yells, I’m telling her it was your idea.”

“Fair enough,” he breathed out, some of the tension draining away.    Peter knew he would only buy a short reprieve doing this but he’d take it.   That thought brought about an increase in guilt, but he needed to be able to face everyone and stay calm.   He needed to be believed.   This entire world might depend on that.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> First, thank you so very much for the kudos and comments, they really do keep me going. Secondly, sorry for the slight delay in update. Had an attack of the RL stress stuff, and then a sudden epiphany on the plot. 
> 
> As a note, this fic incorporates both comic and MCU elements. (My little idea was an ooooooo what if? moment as I quite honestly enjoy the different characters (not always the characterizations) and had an ah-ha! moment as to who is behind everything. (Hint I have not seen it done in a fic yet, and I think it's pretty even handed to everyone.) It is set post CACW/his world ending for Peter, and pre CACW for everyone else. 
> 
> Coming up in the next couple of chapters - Who did Peter react so badly too? What do the Avengers think of the new vigilante that showed up? Also we will start to find out more about the world Peter lost and some how his life differs from the Peter in this universe.


	5. Our Problem - Late March

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Tony and the Avengers react

Iron Man scanned the area with the type of intense focus that could only be created by cold fury.  He wanted, no, needed to find whoever dared to infiltrate his serves and stole his design for his son.   A design that tragedy halted any actual production, instead it floated in his system as mere plans.   Yet the news cast caught a suit almost identical in appearance to his design.   A design never seen by anyone outside his workshop, let alone to the public.   Someone somehow _stole_ it from _him_ , modified it, manufactured it, and actually had the balls to use it in public.  Well he wouldn’t let them get away with it.   He _couldn’t_ let them take something meant for the son he failed.

The tragedy that took Peter’s life could have been adverted if Tony just made up the suit and presented it to the teenager.   This is something he felt to his very bones.  The armor specifically designed to help protect the vulnerable vigilante who swung around in spandex of all things.   Alright, to be fair after a bit of convincing and testing he did accept the reinforced fabric, but it was only fabric.   It couldn’t take the punishment the armor could have.    That absorption could have saved the young man’s life.      Having only just won the argument for the reinforced fabric, he feared the flat out rejection of the armor which is what caused his hesitation.

Guilt, grief, rage; those things made a powerful combination that reared its head when FRIDAY hesitantly drew the news report to his attention.   One corner of his mind made note to check her programming later, after he reinforced her security.   The AI clearly been evolving with increased use, and that thrilled him.    First, he needed to track down and deal with the theft, which also meant plugging whatever hole the hacker used to access the information.   Tony couldn’t let it happen again and risk what little he had left.   Ultron took JARVIS, tragedy took Peter, and he wouldn’t let someone else take what he cared about again.

“Boss?”   FRIDAY’s voice gently interrupted his furious search.    Somehow the thief managed to evade cameras and hide from any sensors.   Which should be impossible, yet they managed it.  “Boss, Captain Rogers is calling.”

“Yeah well tell Spangles I’m a bit too busy right now,” Tony snapped.   

A beat later she carefully replied.  “Captain Rogers wants me to inform you that it’s important.”

Tony’s voice took on the air of highly irritated impatience.  “I’m not really interested in whatever team building or other bullshit he wants to go on about right now.   I’ve got more important things to get done.”   He circled around the area again, frustrated at coming up with nothing.   

Just as he decided to go back to the Tower and start putting together more information FRIDAY responded one more time.  “Captain Rogers says he’ll meet you back at the tower to talk to you about the new vigilante and he hung up.   Boss, I think he means that guy you are trying to find.”

Inside the suit his eyes narrowed.     


 

Back at the tower Steve stepped off the elevator into the common room followed by Wanda, Natasha and Sam.    He’d seen the Iron Man suit flying of course.    While he might not be at the same intellectual level as the genius engineer, he certainly could figure out what exactly drew Tony out of the tower.   The red and gold suit design and use of repulsors in flight far too reminiscent of the Iron Man armor to evade the engineer’s notice.  While good to see the familiar hero in the skies again, he couldn’t help but to be concerned as to his friend’s mental state.    Things had been rocky and while he wanted to help, it felt like the billionaire just kept pulling further and further away.   He just didn’t know how to get through the walls that the other threw up.

Tony landed, the machines doing their job to dissemble the armor as he moved forward revealing the worn t-shirt and jeans.    He stalked into the room, eyes lit up with a fire that brought Steve both a spark of hope, and a feeling of trepidation.  

“Alright Cap, what do you know?”

The question came more as a demand.  Not entirely unexpected, especially with the way Tony continued to move determinedly forward.    A man focused intently on a mission in a way Steve had never seen before.    That is what brought about the niggling of worry as to what just the billionaire would do.  When grief and guilt ate away at someone, they could make rather rash moves.   He should know.  “Not much yet, the guy seemed like he just wanted to help people.”

“Help people?   That asshole wants to help _himself_.”  Tony jabbed a finger in the direction of the window.  

“How do you know that?  Did you see something when you were out there?”  Nat asked quietly as a frown creased Steve’s face.

“How do I know that?  Well why don’t I show you.”  Tony gestured broadly into the air.   “Friday, pull up the image from the news and my plans, you know which one.”   

The images sprung into life hanging in mid air.   First the scene from downtown with the armored figure standing, two golden legs braced in the ground and two held up high.    Next to that, the unrealized designs for the Iron Spider armor, these ones that only incorporated the three arms extruding from the back.   “That’s my design, with a change, but still obviously my design.”

“Someone hacked you?”   Sam gave a low whistle.

“No they spontaneously came up with a design almost exactly like the one I made for. “   Tony cut his sarcastic remark short.    “Obviously they hacked me.  There aren’t that many people out there even capable of coming close to replicating this technology.”

“You designed this for Peter?  He would have loved it.”   Wanda slid closer to study the design, a small sad smile on her face.   

Tony shifted to the side at the comment; an unreadable emotion flickered across his face.   “The point is, someone _took_ it, and is out there _using it_.”

“That changes things.”  Steve mused, trying to figure out how the information all fit together.   So far he didn’t really have a clear picture.  “Any idea on why this suit has four of those extra leg things when your design has three?”

Tony shrugged, “without getting my hands on it or asking the person that put it together?   No, not really.  I designed three to optimize the use of space and flexibility.   It’s primarily designed to protect, so it doesn’t have much in the way of built in weaponry.”

Sam took his time studying the two designs.  “Well we know it has repulsors cause the suit we saw few over before it opened up to fit around that one guy, Red he said to call him right?”

“Red, he asked you to call him a primary color?”  Tony scoffed.  “Seriously who does that?”

“We don’t always pick our names Tony,” Wanda looked over at him with an arched eyebrow.

Looking over at Nat, Steve took in her mask like expression.   Other than an initial comment she stayed pretty quiet.     Her gaze flicked to him then back to the designs.   Whatever her complicated brain put together, he may need to prompt her to share with everyone else.  He turned back toward the engineer.  “Tony, you said only a couple of people might be able to duplicate your technology, which ones?    Would Reed Richards be one of them, because the guy was hanging out with the Fantastic Four.”

A scowl formed on his face as the billionaire thought it over.   “I’m no fan of Richards, but I just can’t see the guy stealing my design, or helping someone that did.”  Tony admitted reluctantly.  “He’s more of the try to travel to weird dimensions and deal with aliens.  This is engineering, not his main area of expertise.”

Now, Steve really wanted to calm Tony, not add fuel to his anger, but a couple of obvious questions remained and needed to be asked.   “Okay, then who could have hacked you?”

“Friday, did you find the breach yet?”   Tony called out.

“Sorry Boss, I just can’t find any signs of it.”  A faintly apologetic tone colored the AI’s voice.  “I’m going through all the logs and doing a sweep of all the attempted break ins to my servers.   So far nothing has stood out.”

“Attempted break ins?”  Sam blinked.  “As in plural?”

Natasha didn’t quite scoff, but she did roll her eyes.  “Of course multiple people are going to try and hack SI.   People that are trying to steal, or people just trying to prove they can do it.   There are many that would like to get their hands on Stark Tech.”

“None of them should be able to get past my regular systems, let alone Friday’s protections.  Once I get done with this next round of upgrades they won’t be able to get within miles.”   Tony’s smile held more than a touch of menace to it. 

“What if, what if this is just someone that wants to be like Spider-man,” Wanda offered in a soft voice.  “Maybe they admired him.  Everyone knows now who he was, so they picked out Tony’s colors and made their own things.   He clung to the wall like Peter used to.   Then the armor, well spiders have eight legs, not seven, so four extra legs would be understandable.  I cannot say the why, but they were trying to help.”

“That we know of,” Tony shot back.  “They could have all kinds of things planned that we don’t know anything about.   To make the design like that, practically identical to mine, like I said before, not many people would be able to replicate it.”

“Wanda,” Steve started hesitantly, “do you have any idea why he reacted the way he did to you?”

Everyone’s gaze shifted to the slight young woman as she twisted her hands together.   “No.   Of the experiments, no others survived.”

“What about someone from your training?  Or anyone that you have had a run in with?”  Tony’s blank tone held no judgment as he kept his distance when he asked.

She shook her head.  “I do not think so.   If they are still out there, I do not think they would be helping Americans.”

“I’ll go through the files again to see if something pops up.”  Natasha’s eyes already switched back to watching the images still hanging mid-air.

The again didn’t surprise Steve.   Natasha worked as a spy, and if she had access to files of something that might be dangerous or useful, she would read them.   “Alright, see what you can find.   We also need to know what the Fantastic Four do about this guy.”  When Tony opened his mouth, the Captain plowed ahead before the engineer could voice anything.  “We need to do t his without pissing them off or turning this into some sort of turf war.”

Tony folded his arms across his chest.  “I can be nice, are you saying I can’t be nice?   Plus, this is about you know, _my tech_.  This is _my_ problem Cap.”

“It’s an Avengers problem,” Steve firmly corrected.  “That armor was meant for an Avenger, and if someone stole it, they need to deal with all of us.”   Spider-Man hadn’t officially been an Avenger, more of an ally, but that didn’t matter in this moment.  

“If? _If?_ ”   Steve knows by Tony’s reaction that he picked the wrong way to phrase it.  “There is no if about this Captain.   My design, someone took it, I’ll deal with it my way.”

“Tony we want to help you.   This is important and the team has your back.”   Steve refrained from sighing at the hardened look on his friend’s face.  

“What help?  So far you haven’t told me anything I couldn’t find out on my own.  You said you had information Steve, I’m not hearing anything useful,” Tony retorted.

“We can likely rule out this guy is a clone or working for any known agency.”   Natasha’s words shifted everyone’s attention squarely onto her as she smoothly turned to look at Tony.   “The voice appears masculine, the accent American, and he’s been active through the boroughs of New York City mostly the low income areas.   The earliest known sighting occurred roughly a month ago.  A contact of mine brought it to my attention and asked me to quietly look into it.   I’ve been ruling out possibilities.”

“And you are just telling me this _now?_ ”  Tony demanded as he dropped his arms.

“Today was the first sighting of the red and gold armor,” she replied.

As a rule, they didn’t necessarily look into every vigilante.   So Natasha didn’t have a real reason to inform the team prior to this.   Well, other than -

“He has a spider symbol on his other costume.  You didn’t think that might concern me?”

“That didn’t mean it had anything to do with Spider-Man, or you Tony.”

Steve took advantage of the brief lull to interject back into the conversation.   “Let us help on this Tony.   You said you were upgrading your security; we can pursue other leads while you do that.   We want to help.”

 Tony stared before jabbing his index finger in the Captain’s direction.   “When I’m done, if you don’t have answers I’m doing it my way.”   Turning, he stalked off towards the elevator and his workshop.

“Let him cool off,” Sam advised quietly.   “The man is still grieving; this has got to be messing with him.”

“That is exactly what I’m worried about,” Steve admitted.   Turning to the rest, a plan started to form in his mind.   Depending on how focus Tony got, they wouldn’t have much time to glean more information.   “Wanda, when Vision is done with his cooking class, ask him to check on Tony, maybe he can help him.  Sam, if you could contact Colonel Rhodes for the same thing that would be good, he needs the support.  Natasha, keep digging, we need to know for sure if this is a threat or not.   I’m going to try and get a meeting with the Fantastic Four.  We need to get to the bottom of this, and soon.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I have not forgotten about this fic! I’ve just had a rather stressful month; it’s almost over, yay. Hopefully my luck will be better in April. Good news, I already have the next chapter started, this just seemed like a good breaking part plus I wanted to get something up for you guys. Again, thank you so much for the positive comments and kudos, they feed both the mun and the muse.


	6. What Was, What Might Be - Late March

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Peter starts to work out what he needs. Peter and Johnny have a heart to heart.

Peter hung upside down from the ceiling in the lab studying his inverted holo displays.  He’d designed them with the ability to do that, just so if he wanted to think this way he could.  While it wouldn’t be something a normal scientist would do he didn’t really fall under the category of normal.  Right now he needed that edge of comfort and focus as he worked evaluating the information in front of him.  Until now he concentrated on finding his place in this new universe.  Today, made him realize he needed to do more than just that.  He needed to make sure that this Earth didn’t head down the same path that his did.

 

JARVIS couldn’t do that, or couldn’t do that alone.  The servers that housed the entirety his brother’s program were bigger than the entire armor.  Even with the advanced technology that went into the suit, only his core program and a fraction of the AI’s memories could fit into it.  They didn’t have the time, or the ability to carry more with them.  So his brother didn’t necessarily know in the way that Peter did, what to look out for.  Sure some of it could be extrapolated, but the whole of the experience resided in the brain of the only flesh and blood survivor.   

 

His brother could and did follow and learn from what Peter worked on.  Right now that included coming through news reports, pending and current legislature, on the national and global level.  With the AI’s contribution soon he could get a good gauge on the current climate.   That would let him evaluate a plan, and determine just how proactive he needed to be.  

 

Now he could, and at some point should, include the rest of the Fantastic Four in on this.  So far he only gave them the broadest strokes and they deserved more than that.  Not only due to the fact it’s their world and not his, but also for help in knowing how to deal with people here.  The relationships and personalities didn’t fit in exactly with what went on in his world.  That only made sense since certain events occurred differently here, especially the ones surrounding his counterpart.  That made it crucial that he kept up the visual and audible masking of his identity outside the Baxter Building.  Peter needed them to react to the information, not him as an individual.

 

Speaking of different relationships, Johnny stuck his head into the lab, spotted him hanging from the ceiling and withdrew with an eye roll.  A few minutes later he returned, pushing a comfortable office chair in the lab.  It, unlike most of the stools in here, had a back and happened to be one of the ones he could lean back in order to better look up at Peter.  While aware of the other man’s presence, Peter continued his work.

 

“Sooooo, what was that all about,” Johnny finally broke the silence when it appeared that Peter wouldn’t.  “I know Sue said to give you space and all, and I know you have been through a lot but I think it’s important to know what might be dangerous.”  A faint scowl formed on his face.  “Actually I don’t know what you have been through because you don’t talk about it, at least not to me.”

 

His gaze flicked over to pensive man as Peter deliberately kept his voice light and preoccupied.  “That, is actually one of the things I’m trying to determine.”  Keeping most of his focus on the projections in front of him, he continued.   “What happened in my reality, it’s not exactly something I’ve wanted to talk about.  Living through it was pretty horrible; it’s not something I want to dwell on.  Today, today taught me that I need to give everyone some of the details, if only in order to prevent it from happening here.”

 

Johnny waited for him to continue.  When Peter didn’t elaborate he tried to hold back a sigh as he broke the silence again.  “That’s what I’m talking about you know.  You keep evading the questions and give dribbles of information out.  Seriously man, you can talk to me you know.”  A frown creased his expression.  “Or did you and the version of me in your universe hate each other?”

 

The man hanging from the ceiling stopped wide-eyed with surprise and gave Johnny his full attention.  “What the hell gave you that kind of idea?”   

 

“You are seriously asking me that?”  Johnny lifted his eyebrows and started ticking things off with one hand.  “You let Sue mother you, thanks for that by the way she does it less to me now.  You and Ben joke around and hang out and even went to baseball game.  Let’s not forget you collaborate with Reed and get up to all this scientific stuff that I’m not even going to bother to try and understand.  With me?  You brush me off.  You are polite.  You keep your distance.   So either you really hate the other me, or there’s something you aren’t telling me.”

 

Peter dragged a hand over his face, struggling to figure out what exactly to say next.  “You are the same in both universes you know.  Much smarter and more insightful than people give you credit for.”

 

Johnny brightened, “So you did know me.”

 

Folding his hands together, Peter kept his position dangling from the ceiling.  He needed the distance, craved it.  “Were you friends?  Your Spider-Man, were the two of you friends?”

 

That question made Johnny blink.  “Well, yeah.  What does that have to do with this?”

 

“Were you close, or just casual friends?  How do you feel seeing me here, alive where he’s dead?”  Peter questioned, his eyebrows lifted.

 

The question made Johnny pause, his  mouth opened and then closed again.  Dropping his chin, clearly seriously considering it before he lifted his head to answer.  “Somewhere in between, I think.  Friends, hang out buddies, share a pizza and then go home.”  He folded his hands across the middle.  “Could have been more, hadn’t gotten there yet.  One thing you both have in common, those walls you keep up.  To protect yourself, keep other people out, it's one in the same.”

 

Cocking his head to the side he studied Peter.  “It sucks that he’s gone, I miss him.  It’s confusing in a way you are him but not him, but I’m not going to let that stop me from getting to know you.  I mean Spidey I think would appreciate that I’m trying to be your friend too.”

 

At the last comment Peter dropped from the ceiling, twisting around to land easily on his feet.  As he grabbed a stool to perch on Johnny slowly sat up.  While he may have put himself on the other’s level, Red kept the space between them, moving no closer.  “Do you know why I stay away from Tony Stark?”

 

Frowning, Johnny leaned forward resting his elbows on his knees.  “Well, he’s your Dad right?  Or well in your universe he was your Dad.  I’m betting you cared about him, probably have lots of intense feelings that would make it hard.”

 

Nodding Peter exhaled slowly.  “Yeah, that’s part of it. The thing is there are some major differences between the life Peter Parker had here, and the one I had.”  Twisting his fingers together, he took his time explaining.  “For one thing, here, Tony and Peter only really figured out their connection a few years ago.  Me?  I had my Dad all of my life.   I can’t imagine the two kinds of relationships being the same.  Our lives were different, we were different people.  Sure, yeah, lots of things in common but to be honest?   I think between the two of us he’s the better person.  More selfless, more innocent, and he didn’t have any blood on his hands.”

 

That caused Johnny’s eyes to cloud with concern.  He started to open his mouth as if to say something but stopped himself.  Instead he waited, letting Peter continue.

 

“I, I _can’t_ be him.  Can’t be that good, can’t be that innocent.  I’m damaged goods Johnny.”  Peter swallowed, rubbing his hands together.  “My Dad and I went through hell and back together.  This Tony, yeah he’s been through some hell of his own.  But how fair would it be if I just popped up into his life?  How fair if we are both comparing each other to what we lost.  His son is dead, and I’m alive.  Sue, Ben, Reed, they are easy.  I didn’t know them, not really.  It's not going to hurt me if they have a hard time differentiating between the two of us.”  When Peter finished he averted his gaze, looking down and to the side.

 

Blowing out of a breath Johnny processed both what Peter said and what he didn’t.  “First, I’m hearing a heavy load of survivor’s guilt there.  Understandable, heck I am surprised no one put that together before with how you are behaving.  But Pete, none of this is your fault.   You didn’t cause the Spider-Man I knew to die.   You didn’t cause everyone in your world to die.”

 

Getting up, Johnny moved towards Peter.  The lanky man’s muscled tensed, but didn’t flee his approach.  “And the guy I’ve seen, what you’ve done since you got here, seems like a pretty good guy to me.”   

 

Placing himself squarely in Peter’s line of sight Johnny kneeled down reaching for one of his hands carefully.   Seeking out that point of contact, making sure his presence could be felt.  “I got what you didn’t say.  I’m hard because you and the other me must have been close.  Closer than I was with Spidey.   But Pete, I’m not going to try to be him for you.  Friends, not friends, I just see this guy that’s been through so much and I want to help.  Yeah, maybe some of it is from missing my friend but it's _for_ _you too_.  If I’m hurting you more by trying than yeah, I’ll keep my distance.   But if I can help, let me”  

 

“LIttle brother,” the familiar voice in his ear and the endearment used caused Peter to blink rapidly.  Jarvis never left him.  Always there, always present, the special chip implanted in his ear helped with that.  In part what gave him the ability to pull out of the fugue state he existed in those first few months in this universe.  The knowledge that as long as Jarvis existed, Peter would never be completely alone.  “I think you should listen to him.  You humans, you need that contact with each other.  Holding yourself apart wouldn’t make Sir happy, or if I may be so bold, dishonor what you lost.”  

 

A shudder ran through his frame.  Johnny held very still.  Not moving, doing nothing more than resting his hand over Peter’s.  Leaving the choice up to him, if he wanted to accept the offer.  That familiar heat, the slight scent of fire that both versions of Johnny carried, that is what pushed him over the edge.

 

Folding forward, he let Johnny pull him into the cradle of his arms.  Peter burrowed his face into the welcoming shoulder.  He let the essence of Johnny fill his senses and something twisted painfully inside him.   The relationship between the two in his universe, one of mutual comfort and need.   He offered it first when three of his world’s Fantastic Four’s members were wiped out.   Through the rocky days they helped each other keep going.  At least until . . his mind shied away from the thought.  But, that was the heart of the problem.   

 

Would he have reacted as strongly to Wanda if he had accepted that everyone he loved was dead?

 

“Dunno Pete.  I’m guessing she did something that lead to bad things happening.  That kind of grief doesn’t go away overnight.”  Johnny’s voice rumbled against his ear as he cradled Peter on the floor.   

 

“I said that out-loud?”

 

“Yep,” Johnny rubbed Peter’s back, letting him continue to take refuge.  “At least I interpreted your mumble, pretty sure I got it right.”

 

Peter huffed a laugh.  Same old Johnny trying to make things lighter for him.   “Wasn’t her fault, not really.  We found out that too late to help her.  She was used, as much as anyone else was.”  He shuddered again, his arm snaking around the other to hold on tightly.  

 

Johnny didn’t complain, or complain about the fact they were on the floor of the lab.  He simply let Peter take his time.  “Well, still, it makes sense you’d react.  Especially if she might be a threat.  Is she?”

 

He swallowed.  “Maybe, I don’t know.  Not everything correlates.  But, but enough does so that I’m worried.”

 

“So, who would know?”  Johnny ran a soothing hand up and down Peter’s back.

 

“A telepath,” the answer came easily.  “A really strong one.”

 

“Then I know who you can talk to.  I’m guessing it's not an immediate threat, otherwise you wouldn’t have been just calmly working at your computer, upside down,” Johnny replied.

 

Peter kept his grip, letting the a shade warmer than normal body sheltering him be an anchor.  “No, not immediate, more of a long term problem.  Jarvis is helping me organize the data so I can lay out a plan.  Going to have to tell people, which kind of sucks but -”

 

“Pete,” Johnny gently interrupted.

 

“I’m going to have to do it.  We’ll need to get on top of the pending legislature, get lawyers to help put together a proposal of our own.  And -

 

“Pete.”  This time Johnny was a bit more firm in his interruption.  “Then it will wait.  At least a few hours, maybe more.   You need to stop distracting yourself from what you went through.   It’s okay to grieve Pete.  And before you say anything, ever since you came out of your funk you threw yourself into living here, and now this.  You can’t keep bottling it up.”

 

“I, I don’t want to think about it,” Peter finally quietly responded.  

 

“Yeah I know.  But I think you need to.  I don’t think you’ll be able to move on until you do.”   When Peter didn’t respond to that Johnny just held him.  “You don’t have to tell me, not now.   Just think about it, okay?”

 

Peter sighed and started to sit up.  Johnny reluctantly released him.  “Hey you don’t have to get up.”

 

“Your butt must be getting numb from sitting on the floor.   And it's a lab.  Not exactly the best place.”  Peter scrambled up offering Johnny his hand.   

 

“Now that you mention it,”  Johnny grinned before sobering again.  “I would have stayed there if you needed to Pete.”

 

“Yeah, I know. Um . .” Johnny waited while Peter gathered himself together.  “How about we find a more comfortable spot, get a snack, and I can tell you how things were different?”

 

“Yeah, yeah that will work.  Should have known you’d want food about now, you bottomless pit.  Sorry, no hot dogs.”  He teased.

  
“Hey!  I like other things.  Besides the best ones are from the hot dog stands.”   

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So so sorry this took so long. Lots of stuff going on RL but I love this story. Major things going on but getting more help soon so that will help ease the stress. 
> 
> All my love and thanks to all the kudos and comments, they really encourage me to keep going.
> 
> As for the future, who knows what will happen between Johnny and Peter. Maybe just friendship. Either way, Peter will get his happy ending.


	7. The One You Know

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Still grappling with his own issues while the outside world knows he is there wearing the spider symbol. It won't be long before they want answers.

Two am, why was it always o’dark a clock when he couldn’t sleep and his skin felt too tight?  Red didn’t know, and couldn’t care too much at the moment.   He simply didn’t have the energy.   Brain too full and the electric buzz of energy just under the surface of his skin drove him out of the Baxter building.   Slipping away from watchful friends only J being aware of his escape.  He needed out.  Away from the emotions and memories Johnny prodded to the surface.

Things started to move fast now.  He couldn’t afford the long blank days that filled much of his life here since he arrived.   Yes things could be said to be better than when he first arrived, but still all too often he’d be overwhelmed by it all and a day would vanish in a blink of an eye.   So Peter needed to wrestle with some of the demons in his heart and find a way to live with them.  

He found a perch in the cemetery that let him view both the memorial and the distant Stark Tower.   The only grave he had to visit was this one.   He didn’t have a monument to the fallen of his world.   All he had was this grounding place to sharply remind him that the people of this world weren’t the ones he lost.   Like them, yes.  Still different in the same way he was to the hero laid to rest here.  This was a place to mourn for everyone, including his own past life.

That little fact kept him there sitting in the tree.   He could be out trying to work out his feelings by fighting crime.   Yet he knew his mind wasn’t right for doing that tonight.  When he first headed out Red thought that would be the goal.  Instead he made his way here and tried to figure out what would be worse.   If their counterparts here were so much like his own, or wildly different.  Like a distorted memory.   A jarring discordant tune that made you feel on edge, never quite comfortable.   Yet if everything remained close to the same it would be a stinging reminder of everything and everyone that he lost.

Past, present, future, all relative when then and now blurred together.   It caused him to grasp the tattered edges of his sense of self to try and mend them into something whole.   Talking to his brother only got him so far.   Grieving with an echo only got him so far.   Peter needed to figure out how he fit into this world, and how everyone else fit with him.

While he’d not quite worked that out, Red decided to acknowledge the presence lurking nearby.   Sometimes he couldn’t resist seizing upon the distraction.  Even to the detriment of his mental health.  “You know you probably aren’t the only one to bring alcohol to the cemetery.  But most of them do it during the day.”  He picked up on that smell, the creak of a leather jacket and several other clues including the fact who else might be following him this early in the morning.

After a couple of heartbeats a shape detached from the shadows to step forward.  “Yeah well I’m not the fucking idiot in spandex up a tree in the cemetery.”  Sounding a bit cross Jessica Jones stopped short of the tree glaring up at the figure perched there.  

 “Actually its synthetic spider-silk with carbon fiber woven in.   Tougher than Kevlar but still flexible.”  He’d yet to turn his head to gaze down at her.  Still he answered cheerfully enough.  Sliding into a familiar role and throttling down anything else.

 “You know I really don’t fucking care what it is.   I’m more wondering why some asshole is up a tree in the cemetery in the middle of the night.”  Her response didn’t give away anything more than he already knew.   

 “And yet you followed me in here.  I mean I get that you’re a private investigator but I’m having some serious concerns about your sleep schedule.”   Red tried to needle her a little.   To see if she would let some additional information drop.

 “Maybe I was just being a good citizen doing my civic duty, ever think of that?”

 He didn’t laugh at that, but the mask shifted as he grinned under it.  “Well, I wouldn’t put that entirely against you but since you aren’t currently trying to kick my ass I am going to say no, that’s not your current goal.  So, who hired you?”

 Taking her flask out for a deliberate drink Jessica took her time in answering.  While her attitude tried to hide it, Red could tell she studied him with a keen level of intelligence.  After all Jones did happen to be a top-notch PI with a rather good bullshit detector.  At least she would be if she matched up to the one he once knew.   They were never close, but fighting together you learned things about people.   It helped that he researched the counter parts of those that were key players from his world and looked for any new ones here.   All pieces of the puzzle he needed to put together.  “Most of your cases are cheating spouses and I’m not married so I can see why you would be reluctant to give your employer up them up.  Professional courtesy and all even if this might be a favor.   Though I’m pretty sure I can make an educated guess.”

 “Okay smart ass, go ahead and tell me why don’t you?”  She didn’t even blink at his statement letting everything slide off her.   One of the things that he admired about the woman he once knew her ability to take things in stride and just keep going.  Most of the time with a colorful expletive or two thrown in.  Maybe because she had to, maybe because that’s just what she wanted to project.  Either way it worked.

 “Hey it may be a smart ass but it is also sexy.   I mean this suit does not hide that at all.”  Even though he quipped back Red hesitated.   One thing he didn’t want to do was out someone else.   He could use one of two identities as his educated guess and they would both be the same person.  Nothing gathered so far would tell him if she knew both sides to that particular coin.   “You know what I have a better idea.  I’m going to go visit them myself.”  

 Scanning the area around them he climbed up further in the tree before making an enormous leap.   Bouncing off a lamp post Red laded for a moment on the memorial pausing to look back at the woman.  Light from the city reflecting off his eye lenses.    He only needed to keep one step ahead of her if she chose to follow him.   Or as the case would be in the city, one swing in front of her.   Looking forward again he made another leap, landing on a tall memorial before making it to the next lamp post and using those as his highway out of the cemetery.   

 Jessica Jones watched as the red and black clad figure moved further and further away.  “Shit.”  Taking one last swallow, she twisted the top back on the flask before tucking it away.   Pulling out her phone she brought up a contact hitting the dialing icon before putting the phone to her ear.   “Yeah the asshole you wanted to know about is probably on his way to talk to you.  I already emailed you everything I dug up on the guy.”   She paused for a moment and then rolled her eyes.  “I have no fucking clue but he’s your problem now.”   Stabbing the button to disconnect the call she shoved the phone back in her pocked.

 “Christ I must be out of my fucking mind.”   Jess started to stalk her way out of the cemetery.   Swearing under her breath she stopped, gathered herself and jumped up into the sky.

 

 

 

Red knew the city.   Knew it in the way few people did.  How its streets flowed and twisted winding through the buildings both tall and taller.   Even though not everything overlapped between the one he was born to and the one he lived in now enough matched that he could find his way.   Especially to a place as infamous as Hell’s Kitchen.   Stomping grounds of the very territorial Daredevil, and one of the first supers that he ran across when he started venturing out of Baxter Tower.

 Now he regretted his hasty retreat when they first crossed paths.   It would have been like slamming a warning sign upside the head of the other hero.   That inquisitive mind would not have let go of someone venturing into his territory with the conflicting signals he put out.   So Red needed to sort this out now, before either he or the PI dug a bit too deep.   Yes, the truth would be a bit farfetched for them to come to on their own.   Yet weird shit happened all the time and he couldn’t put his faith into probably.  

 Was it smart going to confront the Devil of Hell’s kitchen considering his own emotional state?  No, but there were overriding concerns.   He couldn’t keep putting this off.   Not when a giant threat loomed out there.   Not today, not tomorrow, but if he didn’t start laying the ground work soon it would doom them all.  Red couldn’t live with that, not again.  Time to start facing things head on.

 It didn’t surprise him to see the figure standing in wait on a rooftop.   The red color of the suit he could see even in the relative darkness.   He’d seen true absence of light and this city while it lived just couldn’t be that.  He found the continuing light comforting and more than enough to suit his needs.   He gave one last flip through the air and landed on the edge of the rooftop in a crouch.   He ran away from the Devil last time they crossed paths.  While he could admit to himself that he ran away from this man then, now he couldn’t afford to do so.  

 Straitening up and jumping down from the ledge Red slowly strolled forward.   This was not a man he could lie to.   Knowing that made him feel raw and exposed.   He wouldn’t be able to hide what he felt, what he said.  Only his innermost thoughts and memories could he keep from Matt Murdock.  He knew it, lived it and while he really didn’t want to do this he needed to.   Because if he could get this man on board with what he wanted to do, Peter would be one step closer to preventing everything from coming apart in the future.

 “Hey Daredevil fancy meeting you here.   Well not really considering I decided to come visit you here.   Tell me was it really necessary to set Jones on me?”     Okay light-hearted banter was his thing, and really getting into again gave him an anchor to hold on to.

 “You didn’t exactly give me a way to contact you last time we met.”  The harsh voice something he remembered and felt all the way into his bones.  

Red knew the small spike in his heartbeat from his emotions going wonky would be picked up by the other man but it settled swiftly as he stopped a few feet short of Daredevil.  Now he needed to stand his ground, not flee the scene.   He could and would focus on the prize.  “Okay I’ll give you that.   And it only became common knowledge that I was hanging out with the FF like yesterday.  Still you’ve known longer than that.  Jones has been following me for well over a month now.”

It would be fascinating if he could peer inside the shifting thoughts of the other vigilante’s brain.   All he could do was use the same set of skills to make his own deductions about the other’s intent and reactions.   Though he would be considered a mere student in the face of Murdock’s skill level.

Sometimes silence could be its own sort of prompting to get someone to talk.   The longer it spread the more it needled Red to make the next move.   “Look, I know you don’t have any reason to trust me.  If anything, I’ve given you reasons not to.   So, I’m not mad about the whole thing.   In fact I’m willing to lay a whole bunch of truth on you that will probably make me sound like a crazy person.”   His heartbeat remained calm, steady.   He’d already resigned himself to this.  Just needed a push to take it further.

“And why exactly should I listen to you?”   The question in the harsh tone almost made him smile even as it hurt.

 “Because it is not just my life on the line here.   I’m going to need your help with something that is going to affect you too.”   Aaaand that is where Red realized he sometimes needed to work on how he put things.

 The other man’s form tensed.  A looming figure that spoke of danger somehow without even changing position.  “Is that some sort of threat?”

“Not from me, and you know I’m telling you the truth as I believe it.”  Red had both everything to lose and gain.   “I’m going to give it to you straight because I have no other choice.   But not now,” Red jerked a thumb back in the direction he came from.  “‘Cause Jones is probably almost here and I don’t feel like having an audience yet for this.”

 “Yet?”  Of course the Devil would pick up on that particular word.  

“Yes.”   All the sudden he just felt tired, drained like everything wanted to drag him down again and Red’s shoulder’s slumped.   “Look my brother will call your office first thing in the morning and set up an appointment for just you.”

“My office.”  The harsh voice again carried a dangerous flat tone, almost threat as Daredevil’s tension ratcheted up again. 

 “I know more than I want to.   I fucking hate knowing it sometimes, but yes, your office.  Feel free to sic Jones on me if I don’t follow through but I’m done for now.”   Red turned and moved back to the edge of the roof.  The Devil’s of Hell’s Kitchen stayed still and watched as from there he shot off a web-line and swung off into the night.  

 It didn’t take long before he heard and felt the familiar crunch of someone landing (and cursing) on the roof by him.   “You really need to work on those landings.”

 Jessica flipped him off before stalking over.   “You are a fucking asshole, why the hell am I doing you favors?”

 “My charming personality.”  Her short bark of laughter told him what Jessica thought of that.  Still they had a bit of business to go through.   Matt Murdock could be patient when the situation called for it.   But only for so long.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Good news, I'm still here. Better news, I still want to continue this story. I managed to read an incredibly tear jerking fic last night that greatly helped me put his mind-frame into the perspective I need. Thank you so much for your kind comments, support, and not giving up on this story. I am touched by it and its as much for you readers as it is for this story that I want to continue. -All the hugs-  
> I don't have a beta, so all mistakes are mine. :)


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